My Creative Life #10 - Souper Saturdays!

This being "sniffle" season I am spending even more time on Earth Clinic finding the magic elixer for all my ills. Since moving to the country I have become quite a hippy/witch doctor. I drink apple cider vinegar everyday... honey and lemon drinks to keep a cold away... grapefruit seed oil as an antibacterial and aloe vera as a pick me up. Somewhere between this and my continuing vegetarianism (four months and feeling peachy :) I have lost weight, cleared my complexion and cured my chronic sinus allergy.

The most magic cure-all is also the most delicious... soup!

Autumn Saturdays are super for soup. I have discovered that soup is much easier to make then one would expect. My basic soup recipe is to saute some onions, garlic and spices (depending on the type of soup). Throw in a few cups of root vegetables (and always a potato to thicken) cook them just enough to add some flavour. Add enough liquid (water, broth, wine, beer, juice) to cover and boil until soft. Puree the entire mess (to me this is the key). Add a cup of a creamy liquid (milk, evaporated milk, coconut milk) and beans or extras and simmer. Sometimes I add everything to my crock pot to simmer or just serve it right away. 

Using this formula I have made a classic potato soup, a carrot, apple and ginger soup and my new favourite, a squash, curry and lentil soup (a variation of bea's lovely soup). 

Soup is also a great way to make picky eaters eat vegetables... since it is really easy to lie about what's in it. For instance this soup was made with butternut squash (sounds icky to a ten year old) so when asked what was in it I said, potatoes and curry... only partly true but he ate it. Makes me feel so powerful.

Squash Curry Lentil Soup

• 1 butternut squash, cubed
  
• 1 potato, cubed
  
• 2 cups of cauliflower, chopped
  
• 1 small onion
  
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
  
• 1 tbsp cumin
  
• 2 tbsp curry
  
• 2 tbsp garam masala
  
• olive oil
  
• 5 cups of vegetable broth
  
• 1 can coconut milk
  
• 1 can lentils
  

In a large pot, saute onions in olive oil to soften. Add garlic and spices cook to release flavour but do not brown. Add vegetables and cook for 5 minutes. Add broth to cover vegetables bring to a boil turn down the heat to medium and let simmer for 20 minutes (until vegetables are soft). 

Lower the heat and using a hand blender puree to desired consistency. Add coconut milk (more water for a thinner soup) and lentils and simmer for one hour.